Turbulence
by JamesLuver
Summary: Oneshots. Kim and Andrew's relationship is never going to be easy. Canon, AU.
1. Burning

**A/N: **I haven't wrote anything in a very long time. :( Just recently however, with Kim's return to _Waterloo Road_ (finally!), I've been inspired to write more fics for my favourite pairing ever: Kandrew. :D So here is the first of many (hopefully) Kandrew fics. :D Read and review, even if you hate it! :D

**Disclaimer: **I do not own _Waterloo Road_. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fanfics.

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_Turbulence_

_1. Burning_

"_I_ need you."

The words sear through Kim's skin like a lethal poison. She stares at him, dismay burning in her eyes.

She can't cope with this. Not now. Not after so little time together. He can't expect her to just drop her life and go following him around like some sort of faithful puppy, can he?

He stares at her with an intensity in his brown eyes that burns, his hands warm against hers. She is torn, torn between two of the most important things in her life; her life itself and the one man who means most to her.

Abruptly, he pulls his hands away and stands. She is forced to look up, to look into his soul. His face is set, his eyes determined. They scorch her with their passion, but she can't look away.

She doubts she'll ever be able to look away again.

"This time tomorrow I'll be in Rwanda," he states firmly. Still stubborn and unwilling to change – even for her. "Call me and tell me you're coming."

He bends down, and she has little chance to prepare herself for the kiss. He gently holds the back of her head, their eyes closed in a mutual enjoyment and need. Her bare skin feels on fire beneath his fingers.

All too soon, he pulls away. He says no more. His mouth has said it all.

And that's where he leaves her, gazing dumbly after him as he walks out of the pub.

Almost out of her life.

How long she sits there, staring into her bottomless drink, she doesn't know. All she can think about is him.

It has taken them so long to reach the point they are at today. How many nights has she lain alone, thinking about him, hating him, only to realise that she is touching herself, envisaging him on top of her, _him_ doing the touching? How many times?

So much of their time has been wasted by mindless sniping and barely disguised digs. And yet, through it all, he has stood by her, always willing to forgive, always willing to forget.

Does she have the strength to put him to the back of her mind and just forget everything they have been through?

That is the searing question she needs the answer to.

She thinks of Jack. Headstrong Jack, always ready to do whatever he has to in order to ensure the school's future. Yet in recent weeks…

_Do we still have the same goals in mind?_

She thinks of Izzie. Kind, caring Izzie, always there when she needs to be supported. But how will they make the time for each other when Izzie has married life to worry about as well as her two children and her job?

She thinks of Andrew.

The words burn at the forefront of her mind: _Call me and tell me you're coming._

The question still scorches her brain. Should she stay or should she go? Departing will mean leaving her family, her friends. Staying will mean losing the man she loves.

Two options. Two choices.

One answer.

Her mind is made up.

As sure as hell burns, her mind is made up.

She flips open her phone with trembling fingers and scrolls down her contacts.


	2. The Curtains

**A/N:** Well, here's the second one in the series. :) 'Tis not great, but hey. xD I have no excuses now. I've used 'em all. xD Anyways, I thought I would do a more fluffy one this time, as I do love fluff. :D Enjoy! :D

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_2. The Curtains_

He loiters outside her house for a moment. What is he doing here? It's a preposterous idea. He's meant to be packing for Rwanda, not gallivanting halfway across Rochdale.

The thing is, he has to see her. Just to let her know his decision.

He can't wait forever for hers.

Andrew can't put it off any longer. Taking a deep breath to steel his nerves, he makes his way up the garden path. The last time he had been here was just under a year ago, when he'd tried to persuade Kim to come back to her job. What a fine mess he'd made of it, too. He hadn't had a clue what he was going to say, and had known even less when she'd opened the door.

She'd looked slightly scruffy, dressed in a green cardigan and jeans, her hair loosely tied back. He could remember everything so vividly. At that moment, she'd never looked more beautiful to him.

Andrew shakes his head, not wishing to dwell on that day. If it'd all gone to plan it was more than likely that they would not have spent the whole year arguing with each other. As it was, she'd pushed him away a second after he'd kissed her, and that was that. It has never been mentioned since.

Standing outside her door, he nervously raises his arm and presses the bell. What if she is in bed? Will she even answer? It is, after all, gone midnight; not the most appropriate time for visitors.

Nevertheless, he waits hopefully and gazes around the street. It is a quaint place, a quiet neighbourhood where nothing bad ever happens.

"Andrew?"

He turns, startled, to find Kim staring through a crack in the door with an expression of shock on her face.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she demands.

Andrew smiles slightly, his composition recovered. "Hello to you, too."

"Aren't you going to answer my question?"

"Can I come in first?"

Kim glances over his shoulder. Despite the lateness of the hour, she can just make out the shadow of Old Mrs. Bedford opposite, in the window of her living room. While she appears to be clearing something from the windowsill, Kim is not fooled; Old Mrs. Bedford has a habit of being there whenever something even slightly interesting is taking place on the street. She wonders if the old woman actually ever sleeps, or if she runs on batteries or something. The truth? She's a worse gossip than Steph Haydock.

Without another word to Andrew, Kim turns on her heel and disappears back inside the house, muttering something along the lines of, "bloody woman never misses a trick…"

Andrew takes this as his invitation to come in, and steps over the threshold.

This is only the second time he has ever been in here. It hasn't changed at all.

Kim has gone into the living room and Andrew follows her. She sits herself down on one of her sofas and looks expectantly at him. She is still dressed in her clothes from earlier, and he wonders if it is normal for her to be up at this time of night.

He wants to know every single detail about her; what her favourite colour is, what sort of music she likes, what she enjoys watching in the evening. It is silly, but he's never thought to ask her before. Now it is something that he needs to know.

"So what are you doing here at this time of night? Shouldn't you be packing for Rwanda?"

Andrew ignores the dig and sits down opposite her. "You never called."

Kim's shoulders sag. "Yeah, well, I haven't come to a decision yet."

"You don't have to."

"Eh?"

Kim might well be surprised. It has taken all evening to come to this difficult choice. But, in the end, it has had to be made, and he is completely happy with it.

"My mind is made up. You can't change it."

"What the hell are you going on about?"

"Kim…" Andrew takes her hands in his, his eyes searching her face sincerely. "I should never have asked you to come with me on such short notice. It wasn't fair of me to spring all that on you in such a short space of time."

For once, Kim remains silent.

"But, at the same time…" Andrew continues, less confidently, now, "I just…what I'm trying to say is…"  
"For God's sake, Andrew, spit it out!" cries Kim, attempting to joke despite the odd ringing in her ears. Just what is he getting at?

Andrew takes a deep breath. Steadies his nerves. Clutches her hands more tightly.

"Kim Campbell," he says softly. "I love you."

The world around her stops spinning.

Andrew loves her. _Andrew loves me._

Why does he have to tell her this now? Why _now_, when he's leaving, putting thousands of miles between them?

She blinks away the tears she feels bubbling at the surface and squeezes his fingers. She can't speak. She wants to tell him that she feels exactly the same way, but she can't.

"Kim…?" questions Andrew uncertainly. "What's wrong? Say something. Please."

"Why are you telling me this now?" she says quietly.

"I'm sorry?"

"So you should be. Do you have _any_ idea what you're putting me through?"

"Kim, I–"

"You've just come over here to tell me you love me, but now you're gonna sod off for Rwanda tomorrow and I'll be left here to wonder why the hell you told me in the first place."

"Please, Kim–"

"Because how will we make the relationship work when you're in Africa and I'm in England, hmm? I can't just drop everything and run off with you, as much as–"

"For God's sake, Kim!" Andrew manages to cut in at last. "Will you just listen to what I have to say!"

That shuts her up.

"That's better," he smiles gently. "Now, as I was saying…I love you. And I know it would be ridiculous to uproot you to Rwanda just because I wanted to go there. It's not fair. So I've changed my mind."

He looks into her face, gauging her reaction. Her face is suitably disbelieving, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.

If he wasn't so afraid of what she would say, the situation would be laughable.

At last she manages to find her voice, and says in a strangely high pitched tone, "what are you getting at here?"

"I'm not leaving in the morning."

"What?"

"I'm staying here, Kim. I'm staying in England, at Waterloo Road."

"But what about Roger and Jerry? I thought you said you couldn't stay if they were staying?"

Andrew looks slightly hurt. "Anyone would think you don't _want_ me to stay."

Kim takes his hand in hers. "That's not what I meant. I'm glad you're staying. Actually, I'm over the moon. I know it sounds crazy, but I was…I couldn't really imagine life without you now. You drive me insane but, y'know…" she shrugs and changes the direction of the conversation. "What changed your mind?"

"You. I'm staying because…because I want to be with you. If you want to be with me, of course. If you don't then that's fine, I don't have any objections to that, but–"

It's now or never. She can't allow him to think that she doesn't care about him. She does. A hell of a lot. She doesn't quite know when the lines of respect had blurred with the ones of attraction, but she does know that she's been fighting these feelings for the better part of a year. She can't do that anymore. She's never wanted something so strongly before; he drives her mad, but what she'd said before was true: she can't imagine a time in her life without Andrew anymore. Cheesy? Hell, yes. But it's the truth.

"Andrew, will you calm down? I love you, too. D'you hear me? _I love you._"

He blinks, and a huge grin spreads across his face. Her hands leave his to find their way to his tie.

"I love you," she repeats, as though to make sure the point has hit home. "I didn't want to at first, but I've fought these feelings for so long, and I can't do it any more…"

His mouth finds hers and she closes her eyes as they kiss. He holds onto her waist, never wanting to let go.

All too soon, they part.

"What do we do now?"

At this, Kim smirks. "I have a few ideas…"

"What did you have in mind?"

She stands up and exits the room. Andrew has no choice but to follow. At the foot of the stairs, she pauses and takes his hand again, leaning in for a kiss. He obliges willingly, and after a few moments, Kim begins fumbling with the buttons on his shirt.

"Where's your bedroom?" he murmurs in her ear as he helps her with her task.

"Upstairs," is the breathy reply, and trembling with desire, she leads him up the staircase.

Kim slides out of bed the next morning without disturbing Andrew. She slips on her dressing gown and pads downstairs. Every time she thinks of last night, she feels her mouth tug into a satisfied smile.

Ten out of ten for Mr. Treneman.

Kim picks up the keys from the ring where they hang and opens the front door to fetch in the milk.

Old Mrs. Bedford is out in her garden.

"Morning, Kimberly," she greets her in that screechy voice that makes Kim wince. _Kimberly_. Never _Kim_. God, that woman irritates her.

"Good morning, Mrs. Bedford," she returns, picking up the milk swiftly and turning her back on the aged woman.

Old Mrs. Bedford isn't about to let her go that quickly. "Who was that young man who came calling for you last night?"

Taking a second to control her exasperation, Kim faces her again, a strained smile plastered on her face. "Him? Oh, he was nobody. A work colleague. He came to say goodbye. He was leaving his job." _But now he's staying._

"I didn't see him leave."

_ Nosy old bat._ "That's because he left through the back door. Now, if you really don't mind, I need to get back inside."

"My apologies."  
Kim manages one last laboured smile before stepping thankfully over her threshold.

She is just about to close her door when Old Mrs. Bedford calls deviously across the street: "Oh, and Kimberly? I would advice that you close your curtains the next time you and your _friend _partake on some night-time frolics. You never know who could be watching."


	3. Inaccessible

**A/N:** Alright, here's the next one I've written. :) I don't particularly like this one, but I thought I would post it anyway. :) Enjoy! :) This one takes place during series 1, episodes 2-3, which in turn take place over a month, because I felt like it. :)

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_3. Inaccessible_

God, she makes him feel something he has not felt in a long time. It is a primeval feeling, something that stirs within him when she is nearby, something that nags at him when she is not.

But she is inaccessible.  
Of course, she isn't simple. He does not expect that from her. She is strong and independent and wild. And that is what he loves about her. Her sheer willpower, her determination to help no matter what. They have argued, it was inevitable. They have very different views.

Their morals are exactly the same. They would make a dynamic team.

But she is inaccessible.

He knows every face she pulls like a book; the way her eyes light up when she smiles, the way they frown if she is angry or sad. He knows exactly what ticks her off and what has her chatting excitedly, and sometimes he will deliberately do one of the two, just to hear her voice.

But she is inaccessible.

He likes to think that one day she will lean over him to pick something up, or she'll brush her hand against his. He is curious; he wants to know if her skin is as soft as it looks. He wants to kiss her, to hold her in his arms and never let go, because that is what she makes him feel.

But she is inaccessible.  
He sits alone in his house, thinking about her. He wants all of the things that he had thought about; he

wants to share his life with Kim. It's scary. It's crazy. He has known her barely two weeks. And yet, here he is, already envisaging their life together. The perfect wedding. The perfect honeymoon. The perfect kids.

But she is inaccessible.

Why? Why is this woman – a woman who can make him forget everything just by standing there – so inaccessible? What is stopping him from making a move, asking her out for a friendly drink?

Deep down, he knows the answer.

She is inaccessible because she has already been claimed, and that is somewhere he did not want to go.

Kim Campbell already has a boyfriend, which means, at the end of the day, Andrew's little image of a house, kids and a dog is just a depressing fantasy. In theory, Kim could have all that.

Just not with him.

Chris, whoever he is, is one lucky guy.

* * *

**A/N: **And there you have it. It's not as long as the other one, but I hope you like it nonetheless.


	4. Their Dying Hearts

**A/N: **Here is the next one. Opinions, as usual, are appreciated. :)

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_4. Their Dying Hearts_

It's now or never. Carefully, Kim shoves the few things that Kahika could afford to give away in her bag and glances nervously around her tiny living room. Grace is sitting in the carrier Kim had bought, dark eyes wide and innocent. She is too young to understand the complex way of the world.

_You're too young to know that you won't be seeing your mummy again._

Kim has already planned it all out in her head. She'll return to England, lie low for a few weeks, make sure that no one is on to her. Then, once the coast is clear, she'll head back to Rochdale, to Waterloo Road, and ask Jack Rimmer for her job back. Jack was fond of her; he'll protect her. All she needs to do is tell him that Grace is hers, and that under no circumstances should he allow Andrew near her if he ever was to show up.

She doesn't want to do that to Andrew. Not really. They have their differences, but times have changed for them. _She's_ changed. It is something she hasn't admitted to anyone yet, but it's true. She's fallen in love with him. Head over heels. The works. It hadn't taken long. Watching him work with the needier children of Rwandan society has helped her realise just how much he means to her.

It's a pity that they haven't seen eye to eye over Grace.

Andrew is out at the moment, having a leisurely drink with Jonathan Carter, deputy head teacher at the school they work at. This presents her with the perfect opportunity to escape. She'll be able to leave without him knowing. By the time the details of what has gone on become apparent Kim will be well on her way to England. She is in no doubt that he'll try to find her – it _is _Andrew, after all – but there will be no way that she'll let herself be caught. Kahika wants Grace out of the country and Kim is the one who will take her, damn the consequences. Is it so wrong to want to give a child a better life? It shouldn't be.

Rwanda isn't for her, anyway. She's been quick to learn that. She can't cope with seeing starving children, looking into their haunted eyes, then seeing the optimism, the hope for a better life someday. She doesn't know how Andrew has managed to keep coming here year after year. Yes, he is helping to make a difference, and she is proud of him for that, but she is certain that this stint she's experienced here will be her first and last.

She glances at the wooden clock on the wall for want of something to do. Nine. She can't put it off much longer.

It's now or never.

Sighing to expel the butterflies that are fluttering wildly in her stomach, Kim shoulders Grace's few essentials, then picks up the baby's carrier case. It is heavy to her inexperienced arms. Nevertheless, Kim grits her teeth and makes her way into the hallway, switching off the lights as she does so. She's left a note for Andrew, informing him that she's been called out to a late-night crisis in the nearby city of Hakasiru and that he shouldn't wait up for her – she'd be back soon.

Her hand had hovered uncertainly over the end of the page, the pen quivering. How should she sign it? She'd wanted to write _I love you_ at the bottom, but considering that she'd decided on jumping the country, the timing of her confession wouldn't be appropriate. Instead she'd settled for the usual _Kim x_ and left it at that.

She ferrets anxiously for the key to the front door, her fingers searching futilely in all the usual nooks and crannies. At last they close around the cool metal, and it is with relief that she pushes the key into the door, listening to the satisfying _click_ as it opened. Kim places Grace carefully on the ground as she locks the door after her, then steals stealthily down the path, wary of how open the space is. Anyone else living on the campus with them could glance out of their window now and see her. She has to get away. Fast.

She's already planned her getaway. Kahika has arranged for a car to pick Kim up at a quarter past nine. By ten she'll be at the airport. By eleven she'll be in the air. By tomorrow she'll be back home.

Suddenly there is a rustle behind her, then a confused, "Kim…?"

Eyes wide, she swings round. Her heart is pounding in her ears. No. It can't be. Not now. She is so close…

Andrew's face is as perplexed as his tone; in his hand is the letter she'd written to him.

"What's going on?" he asks, stepping forward, noticing Kim's suitcases lying on the ground.

Kim swallows hard. "Andrew, it's not what it looks like…"

"Really?" he snorts bitterly, shoving the letter into his pocket. "So what are the cases for? Presumably they won't be needed at the crisis you're heading to?"

There is nothing she can say to defend herself.

Slowly, Andrew's eyes take in the wider scene before him; the bag of Kahika's things, baby Grace in the carrier case.

"Oh my God…" he looks up at her, swallowing visibly. "Kim, you're not…"

The game is up.

"I'm doing what I have to do," she tells him, trying to keep the quiver from her voice as she positions herself protectively in front of baby Grace. "Surely you can see–"

"Enough," he growls, cutting her short. "Kim, how many times do I have to tell you? You can't _do_ this. It's illegal. Grace is not your child. Why can't you learn to just leave everything as it is? We have no power here, Kim. We're here to teach the children, nothing more."

"That's so typical of you," she shouts back. "What do _you_ know about Grace's life? You've never even met her father!"

"As a matter of fact I have," he retorts. "And I know he's not the most diplomatic of people but–"

"_Now_ look who's being typical," Kim says disdainfully. "Have you even _seen_ Kahika's bruises? That man is a monster, and there's no way I'm allowing him to get anywhere near Grace again!"

Andrew steps towards her, grabbing hold of her wrist. "You can't do it this way, Kim. If you take this child you're risking a prison sentence. You won't be able to smuggle her out. The Home Office will come down on you like a ton of bricks."

"So be it," she dismisses. "I don't care. Grace needs me and that's all that matters to me."

"That's all that matters to you?" he responds, incredulous. "What about the million other cases like this one all over Africa? Don't _they_ matter to you? What about…what about me? Don't _I_ matter?"

Kim's intake of breath is sharp. She _does _care about Andrew. She really does. Hell, she's even _fallen in love_ with him, no matter how crazy that sounds. He infuriates her and excites her, confuses her and enlightens her. Being with him is beautiful and ugly all in one go.

Now she has a choice to make.

It is either the death of Grace or the death of her heart.

It is either the murder of Grace or the murder of their relationship.

She has one choice and one choice only.

Her mind is made up.

She looks him squarely in the eye and says waveringly, "no Andrew. You don't matter to me."

He recoils in shock, eyes wide and hurt. Kim takes the opportunity to sweep Grace into her arms and kick her suitcases onto the dusty street. She can hear the distant roar of a car engine; her ticket to the airport will be here soon. Still Andrew says nothing, but his chest is heaving as though he is about to cry and he backs a few paces away from her, as though standing near her will destroy him.

"Don't come looking for me," she tells him as at long last the rusty vehicle pulled onto the premises. "I won't be around." She shoves the cases into the boot, then straps Grace securely into the back seat. Andrew just stares incredulously at her, no inkling of her words sinking in visible on his face. Kim says no more, just shuffles herself in beside Grace, pulling on her seatbelt. The car begins to pull off, and she chances a glance through the rear window. Andrew is still rooted to the spot; he roughly brushes his hand across his face, dispelling the solitary tears that fall. Kim's own eyes fill with tears, but she blinks them away. She has to be strong now.

Her dying heart finally breaks, and she is left with a hollow feeling inside of her.

England is awaiting her. She just hopes that Grace compensates for the death of their relationship.


	5. The Traditional Approach

**A/N: **Here's a new one - fluffy stuff written for xfeelingfree as thanks for her getting me those awesome Kandrew scenes from series 1. :D So thanks for that! :D I found this quite difficult to write actually, as Kandrew speech can be very annoying at times. :( Still, enjoy! :)

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_5. The Traditional Approach_

Kim awakens on the sunny morning in July very early to say it is the last day of term before the much anticipated summer holidays. She rolls over with a groan, expecting to feel the sleeping form of Andrew beside her.

He isn't there.

She sits up in bed and glances around the room. She can't see him anywhere.

"Andrew?" she calls into the silence. No answer.

Cursing him, she swings her legs out of bed and slips on her dressing gown. Her instincts are telling her that he is still in the house, but you can never be too certain. Not nowadays.

She checks the bathroom on the way across the landing, but he isn't in there. There are two spare rooms in the house, but he isn't in either one of those.

That only leaves downstairs.

The front room is empty, as is the dining room.

She finds him in the kitchen.

He is already dressed for work, his jacket thrown carelessly over one of the chairs, his tie on top of it. His hair is damp and he is still muttering curses under his breath as he dumps something burnt and extremely unappetising into the sink where it continues to smoke, filling the room with a disgusting stench. Kim can't help but smile as she crosses the room and wraps her arms around his waist, resting her head on his shoulder. He starts a little, then relaxes as he feels her fingers sneak between the buttons on his shirt.

"What are you doing up so early?" she murmurs in his ear.

"It's not early," he points out. "It's gone half six. We're due at school in an hour and a half."

Kim rolls her eyes. "It may not be early in your world, but in mine this is known as the crack of dawn. I don't like getting up before seven on a school day; you ought to know that by now."

"My apologies, Miss Campbell," Andrew smirks, pulling the toast from the toaster.

"Yeah, you better be if you want to live here much longer," Kim chastises playfully.

"Why don't you go back upstairs, then? I'll bring you breakfast in bed, try to make it up to you."

"That sounds nice," Kim agrees coyly and, after giving him a quick peck on the cheek, she exits the room.

Life is good. Since Andrew had returned from Rwanda proudly waving the adoption papers for Grace, Kim's heart had swelled with an unbearable love. She'd left the country terrified and lonely, and just as she'd thought she'd lose her baby (for that was how she viewed Grace, regardless) to the Home Office, Andrew had come along, once more her saviour, and had sorted everything out. Grace was now adopted officially by the two of them, something which had seemed impossible twelve months ago. The night the Home Office had had to concede defeat, she'd let Andrew into her new home, and they had talked for hours. He'd explained why he couldn't just let her go, how he'd worked doggedly to get the adoption papers, how he could understand if she no longer wanted to be part of his life. It was that moment that had made her realise how lucky she was to have him, and after settling Grace into her little cot, she'd taken Andrew into her bedroom, where they'd spent the night in each other's arms, re-enacting the distant memories shared in a small bed in Rwanda.

The next day he'd gone back to Waterloo Road and picked up his job as an English teacher, stepping up to the plate as deputy head when Eddie Lawson got suspended for suspected sexual harassment.

The day after that, he'd moved into Kim's house officially.

Now, Kim is brought back to the present as she pokes her head around Grace's bedroom door. She is still curled up in the cot, thumb in her mouth, her dark curls stuck up like the leaves of a pineapple as she sleeps. Kim smiles gently and smooths back the tresses.

"Mummy loves you very much," she whispers, the words meaning nothing to the baby who has brought Kim so much joy over the last months.

Andrew is great with her, too. At night time she will watch him pick her up, jiggle her gently on his knee, coo words of love into her ear, his brown eyes lighting with an undisguised joy. Once he'd got to know her, it had not taken him long to fall under her hypnotising spell, just as Kim had done.

Closing the door behind her, Kim makes her way back into her bedroom. She flings the covers away and slides back into the bed, stretching her limbs and yawning. Combining Grace's demands, a failing school and nights spent in the throes of passion with Andrew creates a very exhausted woman.

Five minutes later, Andrew enters the room with a tray laden with two plates of English breakfast. Kim sits up and takes it from him as he pulls back his side of the duvet too. He kisses her briefly as he slips in beside her. She sets the tray precariously in the middle of them, then picks up a slice of toast and bites into it. They eat in silence for a few moments, content in each other's company.

"What are you grinning at?" Kim asks suddenly, noticing the corners of Andrew's mouth curling into a smile.

"Nothing," he replies a little too quickly, but she let it pass with the raising of her eyebrow.

"I was just thinking," he confides, "about us. We're good together, right?"

"Yes…" Kim concurs, stabbing a sausage with her fork and offering it to Andrew. "Why do you say that?"

He bites the end, shrugging thoughtfully. "I was thinking about this past month. We came through good, even if I do say so myself."

"And I'm glad we did," she nods, snuggling up to his neck, trailing her fingers down his chest.

He brushes her hand away from where they were drawing teasing circles and turned to face her properly. Kim looks surprised as she gazes into his eyes.

"We need to get going soon," he tells her.

"We could always call in sick," she grins. "It _is_ the last day of term. We only ever do doss lessons on the last day."

"Do we?" he says. "I always make them work. Don't want them to think I'm going soft."

"Typical," Kim rolls her eyes. "Ever the tough task manager."

"Hey, I didn't hear you complaining last night," Andrew teases, leaning in to kiss the top of her head.

"What's the special occasion, anyway?" Kim says curiously, deigning to ignore his prior comment.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you don't exactly make me breakfast in bed every morning, do you?"

He says casually, "just thought I'd make a bit of an effort. I haven't cooked breakfast in a while."

"Hmm," Kim doesn't quite believe him but she lets it slide, as she _does_ quite enjoy it when he takes over the role of the chef.

. "I'm going to take this lot downstairs," he nods to the remains of the breakfast. "You get ready. We really _do_ have to get going soon."

"Yes, sir," she salutes playfully.

Andrew laughs as he slid out of bed. "So we'll be ready to go in an hour?"

"If we really must, although my comment from earlier still stands: I don't see why we need to go in today. It'll just be the same as every other year."

"Now you may just be wrong there, Miss Campbell," he says conspiringly and before she can open her mouth to quiz him, he is gone.

* * *

Lunch time comes. Nothing out of ordinary has happened thus far, but Kim is still mulling over Andrew's secretive words. He had refused to tell her what he'd been going on about, had just laughed teasingly when she'd scowled and demanded to know.

"You'll just have to wait and see," he'd said, fastening Grace securely into the back seat of her car. And that was that. It was all he'd say on the matter.

Kim hurries along the corridor, on the way to the crèche. She meets Andrew on the way there. He already has Grace wrapped in his arms.

"Grab your coat," he smiles. "We're going out for lunch."

"Out?" Kim repeats suspiciously. "Why?"

"Does everything have to have a reason?"

"I don't trust you," she tells him after she's reluctantly fetched her coat and met him beside her car. "You're not going to murder us and then get rid of the evidence, are you?"

"As tempting as that sounds…" Andrew clears his throat, bent in to kiss her. "I just want to spend some time with you. I thought we'd have a picnic."

"A picnic?" Kim says sceptically as he straps Grace into the seat.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Again, I repeat: does everything have to have a reason?"

"Oh, shut up, smart arse," she grumbles, trying (and failing) to hide her smile.

"Shall we go, then?"

"The sooner we do, the sooner I'll get back to the joys of those delightful year tens. Yeah, why not?"

* * *

"Stop here."

"There's nothing here."

"I know."

"Do I have to bring the murder theory up again?"

Andrew pauses. "Actually, I was going to wait until we reached the picnic spot, but I realised I couldn't wait that long."

"That so?"

In the back, Grace snuffles. She'd fallen asleep on the journey, little head turned to the side in peaceful repose.

"Do you mind if we step outside for a moment?"

Kim stares, perplexed. "I guess not, but what–"

"You'll find out in just a minute," he interrupts her.

Kim unbuckles herself and steps outside, glancing through the car window to make sure Grace is okay. She is.

"You wanted to say something?" she says as Andrew makes his way round the vehicle, coming to a rest beside her.

"I was meant to be doing it in the good old traditional way," he laughs nervously. "You know, a bouquet of flowers, a box of chocolates, a bottle of wine. I wanted everything to be perfect. Actually, I have the stuff in the boot but I've got a feeling the flowers will have wilted, the chocolates will have melted and the wine will have gone warm. Can't rely on the weather at all."

"What the hell are you going on about?" Kim raises a quizzical eyebrow at Andrew's nervous ramblings. "You haven't lost it, have you?"

"I was just thinking…we've known each other what, three years? And we've been together for two of them."

"Hmm…" Kim thinks, with a jolt, that she knows where this was going. Surely he isn't…?

"Kim Campbell…" Andrew's face is flushed, his hands shaking as he drew a little box out of the pocket of his trousers. He takes her hand and looks up at her, balancing on one knee. "Will you marry me?"

She can't quite believe her ears.

It is so sudden. She'd had no idea he's had _marriage_ on his mind. Nevertheless, her face breaks into a wide grin and she kneels down beside him, gazing into the little box. The ring glitters intricately in the dim light, a sparkling diamond set between two rubies. It is beautiful. Just looking at it brings a lump to Kim's throat. She is slightly wary of marriage after the catastrophe of her last one, but she quickly banishes this from her mind.

_He's not Tony,_ she reminds herself.

No, he is nothing like Tony. Tony was never really considerate of her feelings, Tony never made her feel special, Tony never made her happy.

Andrew _is _considerate of her feelings, Andrew _does_ make her feel special, Andrew _does_ make her happy. She has everything she's never known before with him. They are the chalk and cheese pairing of Waterloo Road, but they are good together. Everyone says so. Can they make a life of marriage work? Kim is sure they could.

There is only one way to find out for certain.

"Yes," she says softly. "Yes, I'll marry you."

* * *

**A/N: **Comments? :D


	6. Patience

**A/N:** Here is the next one. I don't particularly like it, but I'm posting it to get it out of the way because it's annoying me.

* * *

_6. Patience_

There are very few moments when Andrew feels like losing his self-control and sense of good judgement just so he can hit something.

But now is one of those times.

She stands in his arms. She is not stiff like he imagines her in a scene like this but completely flexible, collapsed against him, clutching him as though he is her lifeline.

A broken mess.

He keeps her as close to him as he possibly can, burying his head in her frizzy hair while she sobs into his neck. He wants to say something. Anything. She needs comfort.

He does not know what to say.

He thinks of the boy. How arrogantly he had sat there and told him that he didn't know where she'd gone. How terrified she must've felt, trapped in a room with him, alone.

Her terror now is testimony to it.

He thinks of Jack, sitting in the hall, watching the kids do their part in saving the school.

Kim would love to be there.

But she isn't. She's here with him, upset and defeated.

Jack needs to know.

Even more so, Andrew needs to know.

She is doing her best to control herself now, pushing herself away from him and wiping her eyes furiously with the sleeve of her top. He doesn't push her; it is not his way. He can see how fragile she is; it's in her eyes. Instead he sits her down at her desk and squats before her, tentatively taking her hands in his.

Her eyes are closed, her breathing steadier. She gives his fingers the tiniest of squeezes and leaves them in her lap while she composes herself.

He waits patiently for her to be ready, all the time thinking of the boy sitting in the cooler.

How pleased he must be feeling for making a woman's life hell. Especially a woman of the calibre of Kim Campbell.

Andrew hates him for it.

Finally, Kim is ready to tell her story. She tells it quietly, her voice breaking in places, all the while holding onto his hands as though they are keeping her stable. Her dark eyes bore into his.

Patiently, he listens to her, staring sincerely into her face.

Patience is a virtue. She takes her time with her tale, breaking off every now and then to steady her breathing, to angrily brush away the tears that fall.

He concentrates as hard as he can on her. He cannot get her small voice out of his head. He loves her. As much as it pains him to admit it, he's fallen for her. He understands that she may not feel the same, but this, at the moment, does not bother him. All he wants is to make her feel safe again. Is it in his power?

He sure as hell hopes it is.

Patiently, he waits for Kim's tears to stop.

* * *

**A/N: **Comments? :D


	7. To Come Undone

**A/N:** I forgot all about these...oops. Sorry it's a bit short!

* * *

7. _To Come Undone_

His reappearance has undone her carefully sewn resolve. Every aspect of him has been testing her all day; the way her heart had thumped faster as he'd stared at her when they'd clamped eyes on each other again, the shivers that had rippled enticingly down her spin when he'd gently stroked the side of her face, the way that her body had moulded perfectly with his when he'd pulled her against his chest in a protective hug.

It has been leading up to this moment.

As he slowly closes in on her, Kim can feel her thick defences come unravelling down around her. Tentatively, as though fearing rejection, he grazes his lips against hers, eyes closing, hands gripping her waist. Kim's eyes flutter closed too, and that is it. Her resolute stature is finally undone.

Andrew pulls away from her for a moment, gauging her reaction. She is torn by conflicting emotions tugging her in opposing directions. For a moment she wrestles with herself, desperate to kiss him, terrified of the consequences.

She gives in, mouth crashing onto his, and they are kissing frantically, clinging to each other as though they never want to let go. Kim removes her hands from her pockets to wrap them around Andrew's neck; he pulls her as close as possible. She feels dizzy with carnal longing. The last few months have dragged by; Kim has been going through the every day motions in an almost mechanical sense. Now, with Andrew back, it is as though she was waking up again to the promise of a wonderful life.

She's come undone. She is free.

* * *

**A/N: **Comments? :)


	8. Evoke

**A/N: **A short one for now. :) Hopefully updating on Christmas Day.

* * *

_8. Evoke_

He'd thought he was over her; thought he had moved on when she'd left Rwanda with Grace and he'd been made head teacher of the Rwandan school. He has spent months away from her, the pain steadily numbing, his heart cautiously mending.

Now, seeing her standing there in the hall, hosting this fundraiser, brings bittersweet memories rushing back, sweeping him off his feet. She is just as he remembers her: strong, wild, unpredictable. For a moment, their eyes meet and he sees all of the _what_ _ifs_, the promises of what might have been. It wriggles its way inside him, tenaciously gripping his heart, leaving him almost as torn up as he had been when she'd shattered his heart.

Who knew that one look could evoke all these carefully buried feelings?


	9. Rain

**A/N: **I'm taking liberties with Kahika's last name, since I don't think it was ever said anyway. :) I know it's short, but that's all I could write for this particular prompt. Comments, please?

* * *

_9. Rain_

Rain. It falls in a rare burst, hammering down on the windows, blurring Kim's view of the dusty community buildings. She sighs. Life in Rwanda – life with Andrew – is so tough, almost as unforgiving as the rain which seems to be punishing the world for an ungodly sin.

It isn't that she doesn't enjoy spending time with Andrew. She does. He's a fine man: loving, caring, honest. He always goes out of his way for her, spends most of his spare time in the bedroom of the small Rwandan hut with her, despite being almost too tired to function most nights. The extent of his feelings for her have flourished since moving here; the shy, delicate flower of love he has carried in his heart for her has finally been given the chance to blossom, and she is certain that he knows how much she cares for him, too. It hasn't always been perfect for them, of course, but no matter what, they've seemed to be able to work through their problems.

Until now.

Now Kim has stumbled across baby Grace, and she can't get her or the family out of her head. The way that Kahika Dimiatri's haunted eyes still shine with devotion whenever she speaks of her abusive husband. The way that her four eldest children work every hour they can to help support the family, to no avail. The way that baby Grace lies there, completely helpless and dependent on her weakening mother.

Andrew has gently chided her for allowing herself to get too emotionally involved with a family, but Kim stubbornly ignores him. She's gotten herself attached, and there is no way to sever the bonds. She wants to help in any way she can, but her influence is sadly limited.

Shaking her head, Kim blinks, tearing her eyes away from the mesmerising pattern the rain makes on the window.

She should be spending her time proving to Andrew that she is as devoted to him as he is to her. She should be spending her time helping the other kids too. Instead, she is dedicating any spare time she had after teaching hours to aiding Kahika and her family, which she knows is wrong.

She is as confused as the raindrops that fall in dizzying swirls.

Outside, the rain does not want to relent.


	10. Is It Wrong?

_10. Is it Wrong?_

It is wrong to feel this way about him. She's barely known him five minutes (well, a couple of months), and she is already spending every free moment planning out weird little scenarios about the two of them in her head. Their wedding. Their honeymoon. Their kids. She'd quite like two actually. Two girls. A boy wouldn't be too bad she supposes, but Andrew would have to be the one to teach him moral and principle. She'd take care of the girls. She definitely did not want two boys.

It is wrong that she can't take her eyes off him whenever he is nearby, her flirtatious glances burning into his skin. She is quite certain that he's noticed and perhaps he finds her attractive, too, but she is adamant that she won't be making the first move. He is a traditional man, therefore he should be the one to take the bull by its horns and ask her out.

It is wrong that she sometimes deliberately brushes against him when they sit in close proximity. If he ever perceives it he never comments, but it still brings a thrill trembling down her spine when their skin touches.

It is wrong that she can't switch off if he talks to her. His voice is like a drug; addicting – she becomes more dependent on it each time she hears it. His accent is pronounced and stands out from the locals' but it never fazes him when the students mill around mimicking his affected tone. He just sends them to the cooler instead. That teaches them a lesson. He is good that way. Kim loves the way his voice sounds when he whispers, and she sometimes intentionally lowers her voice so that he will lower his, and they have deep conversations like that, trying to stare each other down; all the while she is thinking rather guiltily of how sexy he sounds when he does that.

It is wrong that she cares about him at all. He is confident to the point of arrogant, she is modest. He prefers to act first and ask questions later, she prefers to think things through logically. He is calm in every situation presented to him, she is liable to lose her temper at the slightest thing. They are complete polar opposites.

Yet they _do_ have some things in common. They both care passionately about the school. They both share a mutual respect for each other. They both have the ability to make the other smile.

Maybe, Kim thinks as Andrew's mouth shyly finds hers in their first kiss, it isn't so wrong to have these feelings after all.

* * *

**A/N: **I'm not sure if I like this one or not, but I thought I'd post it anyway and finish these up. Merry Christmas! :)


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